Rising Waters
This is a fanfiction story by Hollyfire53, the first book in the RiverClan's Survival series. Prologue A flame-colored tom with green eyes and stars in his fur peered deep into a starry pool. "But Graystripe, I just don't see..." Another tom, a grey-colored one with a darker stripe down his back pointed at a blue-grey she-cat that was reflected in the pool. "That's her, Rainmist." "But Graystripe, Bluestar's descendant? As RiverClan's leader?" The flame-colored tom was dubious. "Firestar, no dsrespect here, but have I ever been wrong about this?" Graystripe, who had become an expert at reading the Starpool since he had joined StarClan, fitted his old leader with a look that said, I obviously know more about this than you do, but I'm going to humor you and pretend that you '''do' know best.'' "No. And that's what I'm afraid of." Firestar heaved a sigh. Rainmist just... didn't seem right for the choice of a RiverClan leader. Graystripe groaned, and watched the she-cat below. "She is the right one, Firestar. She's the strongest swimmer in many generations, and a good leader. As long as Bloodclaw and Dapplepaw don't meet up again anytime before Dapplepaw fulfills her destiny as Rainmist's strong-right-paw, then..." "And if they do?" Firestar pressed. The grey tom looked up from the Starpool and stared off into space, a haunted look on his face. "Then that will be the opening for Falconstar to spread his influence across the entire forest." Chapter 1 "Rainstar! Bloodstar is here to speak with you!" A pretty tortoiseshell hurried into the RiverClan leader's den, her amber eyes wide in alarm as she announced the ShadowClan leader's arrival. A blue-grey she-cat looked up and sighed. "What does he want now, Dappleleaf?" "I-I'm not sure." She scuffed her paws on the ground, and when she looked up again, weariness clouded her eyes. "He says to hurry, though, or you'll regret it." Rainstar's eyes darkened with anger at the fear in his daughter's voice. "How dare he storm into my Clan and boss my warriors around?!" She roared, sweeping past Dappleleaf on his way out of the den. Dappleleaf watched him go, worry for her aging mother showing clearly in her eyes. "Bloodstar!" Rainstar mewed loudly, her voice echoing off the trees surrounding the Clan's island camp. A black tom with dark green eyes looked up from sharpening his claws on the ground. "Ah, Rainstar. How does RiverClan fare?" Rainstar's gaze flickered around the camp, hoping that the dark ShadowClan cat wouldn't notice the ragged and dry appearance of his Clan. "All the better for your asking, thank you. And ShadowClan?" Great StarClan, get on with it! The voice inside of Bloodstar screeched. The cat ignored it cooly. "Quite well. We have enough water to survive this harsh Greenleaf. We may even share, if you ask politely." "You have no need to worry about us," Rainstar replied icily. "Even though you may bully our warriors around like the apprentices they were a moon ago, you need not worry about our not surviving. We will always be a presence in this forest, long after you or your demonic kits." Bloodstar snarled, "That Dapplepaw never deserved to be a warrior! You know nothing about her past! Or of the secrets she's holding from you!" Dappleleaf, the pretty tortoiseshell that had announced Bloodstar's arrival, shrank back into the shadows surrounding Rainstar's den. She blended well, and soon only amber eyes, wide with fear and horror at what would obviously happen, showed. "My warriors are none of your affair, Bloodstar. They are in my Clan, they are my responsibility." Rainstar dipped his head to Dappleleaf. "You may continue on guard duty, Dappleleaf." She nodded fearfully, and practically sprinted back to the camp entrance. "This is no Gathering, though. Let me tell you what I came for." Bloodstar hissed. "Morningdew had a dream, from StarClan, saying that soon this cursed drought would end. In fact, it would flood. And that we would all have to work together to survive. There was a prophecy." Rainstar held up a paw. "This calls for Blackfrost. Foxpaw! Have you seen Blackfrost?" A tan-orange tom with a white-tipped tail looked over at his leader. "Yes. Do you need him?" "Yes. Thank you." Rainstar dipped her head at the apprentice medicine cat. "You treat him like an equal!" Bloodstar sneered. Rainstar met his gaze evenly. "I will not tell you again; I am RiverClan's leader, I have the authority as leader over it to choose how my Clan is run. I shall run it the way I wish to, and nobody can tell me any different." Bloodstar's teeth, a little bloodstained, began to show as he opened his mouth, but he was stopped by the arrival of Blackfrost, the RiverClan medicine cat. Blackfrost was a black tom with a white tail and silver paws, giving the appearance of being dappled by snow. His wise blue eyes gleamed back, taking in the two bristling leaders and the nervous guard, then nodded. "Thank you, Foxpaw. It appears I was indeed needed here. You may return to binding the herbs for Rainstar." Foxpaw nodded brightly and trotted off towards the medicine den. Rainstar nodded at her medicine cat. "Blackfrost, this is Bloodstar; Morningdew recieved a dream from StarClan that-" "There would be a flood and we would all have to work together." Blackfrost nodded, his eyes revealing no emotion. Rainstar gaped at him, her mouth wide. The black tom reached over and placed his paw under her chin and pushed up, closing his leader's mouth. "Catchin' moths?" he asked dryly, but gave no time for a response. "The prophecy, did Morningdew get the prophecy?" he snapped at Bloodstar. "Uh..." "These StarClan cats, always doing things halfway! Foxdung to that!" Blackfrost swore, then said, in a tone that was not his own, "The Rain will rule, blood will perish, and Water will fill the forest." Chapter 2 Bloodstar's eyes snapped up, and he bored a hole in Blackfrost. The medicine cat's dead stare met his evenly. "Are you saying I will perish?" He snarled, coming nose-to-nose with Blackfrost. He took a protective step back and his tail tip waved back and forth, a bit mockingly, but when he spoke, it was level. "I am saying, and this is what I think, Morningdew may have her own interpretation, but I think that StarClan wants us all to work together." Bloodstar took another step forward so that he was level with the medicine cat again. "She'll have her own interpretation, you can be sure of that. Morningdew sees things... quite... differently than you." He raked his gaze scornfully over the RiverClan camp. "As do the rest of the Clans, obviously. Nobody else is on an island." Rainstar, bristling at the obvious insult, said, barely staying in control, "Nobody else can swim like us." She added silently, Or fight like us. Or win a fight like us. Bloodstar turned back to Blackfrost, who was cornered against a wall. While he didn't exactly cower, it was obvious that he disliked being this close to the ShadowClan leader. He leaned in, and Blackfrost flinched away at the scent of blood on his breath. "You are a fool, Blackfrost. You're days are numbered. They end today." "Rainstar! Hollythorn and Stormwave from ThunderClan are here." Dappleleaf called from the entrance of the camp. Great StarClan, did the Gathering move to my camp? "I'm coming." Rainstar mewed. She turned back to Bloodstar, and her voice grew icy. "I'm a new leader, Bloodstar. I have eight of my nine remaining." Actually, Rainstar had only six, but she was not about to tell Bloodstar this. The only reason she admitted to being one down was because he had taken that one. "You have been ShadowClan's leader ever since I was an apprentice. I'm gonna bet I have more left than you. I will fight you until we both are dead and in either StarClan or the Dark Forest to protect my medicine cat... and my Clan. And I'm not sure if I made an impression into your little thick skull, but this-" She raked her claws down his nose- "Certainly should. Now get out of my camp, and if you ever return and threaten my warriors or my Clanmates again, it'll be your throat. Nightsky!" A black tom with silver dapples like stars on his body came over. "You are my strongest warrior. Escort Bloodstar out of our territory, and when you mean Clawdark's patrol coming in, tell him you may borrow any of them, or all of them, that you wish. But bring someone else, and someone fast, in case you are attacked." Nightsky nodded, his dark eyes gleaming with excitement. "Yes ma'am." As he and Bloodstar left, Rainstar called, "Don't forget! I'll rake your throat!" "Don't let your memory slip either, Blackfrost!" Bloodstar sneered back. "Morningdew and I'll be waiting... bloodthirstily." Blood was dripping off his muzzle, and it was obvious he wanted to attack Rainstar and Nightsky. Rainstar watched him leave, relief evident on her face. "Thank you." Blackfrost mewed, licking his chest fur to hide his embarrasment. The blue-grey she-cat shrugged. "I would do the same for any cat," she murmered, licking the top of his head like a kit. "Dappleleaf! You may let them in now. Send them to my den." Chapter 3 Category:Fan Fictions